The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union held a meeting on 13 July 2026, adopting its agenda and approving non-legislative A items before engaging in exchanges of views on key foreign policy issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, the Black Sea region, Sudan, China's support for Russia, and a natural gas pipeline, according to draft minutes published by the Council on 24 July 2026.
The meeting, chaired by the High Representative, began with the adoption of the agenda as set out in document 11627/26 and the approval of all non-legislative A items listed in document 11629/1/26 REV 1, which included linguistic corrections and revisions. The core of the session consisted of thematic discussions. Ministers held an exchange of views on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, with the participation of the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs via video conference, reaffirming the EU's continued support for Ukraine. This was followed by a discussion on the situation in the Middle East, covering recent developments and the EU's role in promoting stability. The Council then turned to the Black Sea region, addressing security and cooperation issues.
Under other business, several member states raised specific concerns. Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands provided information on the humanitarian situation in Sudan, highlighting the need for EU engagement. France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland discussed China's support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, signaling ongoing EU scrutiny of Beijing's role. Cyprus raised the topic of a natural gas pipeline, suggesting EU interest in energy infrastructure projects in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The draft minutes, which are subject to approval at a subsequent Council meeting, reflect the EU's broad foreign policy agenda and its focus on multiple crises simultaneously. The discussions on Ukraine and China may lead to further EU measures, while the attention to Sudan and the gas pipeline indicates a widening of the EU's external action priorities. No formal decisions were adopted during the meeting beyond the procedural items.